This premiere of It: Welcome to Derry over the coming days takes viewers once again to the early 1960s, where a fresh band of youngsters confronts an ancient, fear-consuming clown. Considering the original It story revolved significantly around adolescents in peril, it's unsurprising that this show continues a similar path. However, Welcome to Derry escalates the frights to a greater degree than the latest films, establishing its brutal tone faster than viewers might anticipate.
A Chilling Beginning in a Doomed Town
This show kicks off on a snowy winter evening in the cursed town of Derry, Maine, taking place in 1962. After being ejected of a cinema for slipping in and refusing to return home to his abusive guardians, a 12-year-old youth (Miles Ekhardt) holds onto his soother for comfort while thumbing a ride away from town. After he is finally given a ride, the chilled boy agrees. It doesn't take long, though, for him to understand the scale of his error.
We will pause at this point to avoid revealing any elements from the installment. Suffice to state that Welcome to Derry acts quickly in demonstrating just how explicit and terrifying the program will be, particularly regarding the brutality inflicted on minors in the locale.
Throughout, the show's first episode proves its makers have no fear to "go there," to the point that it probably should come with a content advisory for those sensitive to violence against young people; it's really that disturbing.
A Different Take to Terror
Executive producer the series' lead has previously compared Pennywise to the shark from Jaws, a monster shown in brief looks that leads toward a grand climax. In Welcome to Derry, however, the focus shifts toward additional transforming horrors evocative of Stephen King's original novel. Thanks to the extended runtime and high-quality of an premium production, the show is patient exploring these terrors instead of rushing to highlight the clown, resulting in a more unsettling, more intense horror than the recent adaptations.
Is It Suitable?
Any viewer with even a passing familiarity of It should understand what they're in for when it involves brutality toward children, but Welcome to Derry turns the intensity up to 11 when contrasted to the TV series and even the films. Given that, it merits a public service announcement if those versions are where one sets their limit. Yet still, It: Welcome to Derry remains an superb show with a first episode that's a ideal viewing for the Halloween time of year.
- Graphic violence involving minors
- Longer episode length for more profound fear building
- More shapeshifting horrors from the original novel
- Sets a darker atmosphere than previous adaptations
